


A garden show, cakes and no murder

by Haggsy



Category: Midsomer Murders - All Media Types
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Garden Show, M/M, Meeting the nan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-22 03:04:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20867162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haggsy/pseuds/Haggsy
Summary: This is set in the universe of andloawhatsit’s series “Handle With Care”.Gavin takes Nico to the garden show in Midsomer Worthy and finally introduces him to his nan.That’s it, really. Just a fluffy, probably predictable “meeting-the-(grand)parent” story.





	A garden show, cakes and no murder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [andloawhatsit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/andloawhatsit/gifts).

> Many thanks to andloawhatsit who created this ship.
> 
> Read her series, it’s great :).

“My nan has had an ongoing feud with one of her neighbours, Mrs Wandsworth for years now. I think it started at some point in the sixties, when she called Nan’s famous apple pies ‘bland’.”

Nico gasped in mock disbelief. “No!”

Gavin gave him a smack on the shoulder, but smiled nevertheless.  
“I’ll have you know, Mr Bentley, that these pies are the best you’ve ever eaten. Anyway, the garden show is something of a personal battle between her and Mrs Wandsworth, and last year Mrs Wandsworth won with her miniature roses. But apparently my nan is quite optimistic for her Graham Thomas this year…”

Gavin stopped and looked at Nico, who still grinned amusedly. He wondered if it had been wrong to ask the other man to accompany him to the garden show in Midsomer Worthy. Maybe he thought it was boring? Maybe it was too early to introduce Nico to Nan, maybe Nico thought he was going too fast?

“Hey.”

Gavin raised his head and saw Nico’s face, smiling at him. “Don’t fret, honey. I’d love to go to this garden show and to meet your Nan. I know how much you love her and to be honest… I’m glad that you feel confident enough to introduce me to her as—“ Nico went silent and gave Gavin a nervous glance, his hands picking at a thread in his jeans. “Unless… unless you want me to say I’m just a friend, which would be fine, you know, I’d understand if you wouldn’t want her to know.”

Gavin blinked, considering his words cautiously. He had imagined that he would just introduce Nico with his name, and let his nan do the maths. But perhaps it would be better to make it clear from the beginning that Nico was his…boyfriend…

Some day he’d have to tell his family anyway, and his nan was surely the right person to start with. She was always so anxious about Gavin, asking him whether he’d found someone nice yet (always “someone”, never “a girl”) and he wanted to show her that he had someone who was good for him. So, yes, he wanted to have Nico there, as his plus-one, and he would not allow himself to be ashamed for what they had.

He took Nico’s still nervously twitching, by now so familiar hand—calloused fingertips from cricket, always warm, sweaty when he was excited about something— into his own and squeezed it reassuringly. He smiled and said: “I’d love to introduce my nan to the man who makes me happy.” Realising how soppy that sounded, he grinned and added “And because she already knows Barnaby, I thought it’d be your turn this year.”  
Finally Nico laughed and gave Gavin a kiss. “Didn’t have you as the type who’d go for grumpy coppers in ill-fitted suits. That’s rather my part, isn’t it?”  
“Oi! My suits fit perfectly, thank you very much.”

  
********

Nico was nervous, pacing up and down the living-room before stopping in front of the small mirror next to the entrance door. He was wearing a dark blue button-down and his best jeans and was now trying his best to flatten his sleep-tousled hair.

Gavin felt nervous as well, but he tried to hide it for his boyfriend’s sake. He was sure that his nan would love Nico, and that she wouldn’t mind that he was a man if Gavin could just show her how happy he made him. But nevertheless, attending the garden event with Nico as his “companion” meant coming out to half of the village, especially since his nan insisted on showing her grandson “who’s a detective over in Causton, Eileen, did you know that?” off at every opportunity. 

After that he’d need to tell Barnaby, and if his boss knew, other policemen would know and then… Gavin had been one of the lads at the nick who’d publicly made jokes about gays for long enough to be certain that he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of these slurs.

And didn’t that show just how much of a coward he was?

But that was all in the future. Right now his only concern should be Nico and his nan’s roses. He went over to the former and hugged him from behind. “You look fine, love, don’t worry. Nan’s not the type of old lady who keeps going on about how the youth doesn’t dress properly these days, you know.”

“I want to make a good impression, all right? You were the same when we went to my mum’s.”

He was right. Gavin had been practically hyperventilating by the time they’d pulled up in front of the small one-up-one-down Nico had spent his childhood in. He’d worn his best suit, a silk tie and he’d had brought not only flowers, but also chocolates, fancy herbal tea and a bottle of red wine as gifts with him, just in case Nico’s mother was allergic to pollen. Or on a diet. Or didn’t drink wine. If she hadn’t liked tea, he would have been buggered, but luckily she’d turned out to be a very warm and nice woman and said she loved everything he’d brought.

“And it turned out well in the end, didn’t it?”

“Yes. My mum adores you.”

“See? Anyway, we don’t have time for you to fuss over your hair anymore, princess, because it’s already past ten and the drive takes almost half an hour. C’mon.”

Nico pulled a face at the mirror, but followed Gavin outside obediently. “It’s fine. Knowing your driving style, we’ll be either there in under ten minutes, or end up in a hedge so that we have a valid excuse for being late.”

  
********

  
The garden show was being held on the village green of Midsomer Worthy, where a large tent and several tables had been put up. It was a typical event for this county, one of the kind Gavin had attended hundreds of both as a village child and as a sergeant. There was a small orchestra playing lively brass music on a wooden stage in the main tent, there was a tea station and of course there was the obligatory bake sale with cakes and other homemade goods (including his nan’s pies, which were always a bestseller; chew that, Mrs Wandsworth). The judges would walk around and look at the participating gardens individually, but there would also be separate competitions for flower arrangements and, to Gavin’s horror and Nico’s delight, purebred dogs.

Gavin thought to himself that they would never get a dog, especially not one of those ugly big ones Nico seemed to like. He didn’t understand why people would want such a creature drooling and barking within close quarters of them. They were dirty and noisy (and, yes, terrifying, but he’d never use that as an argument). But…he probably shouldn’t make plans for their joined future anyway, should he? Even though Nico had told Gavin that he loved him, and had repeated it a number of times since then, that didn’t mean he couldn’t wake up any day and realise how much better he deserved.

People changed their mind every day, he had seen it so often at work. One day they kissed their partner goodnight, and the next morning they smashed their skull in with a Chinese vase or what have you. Not that he thought that Nico would be capable of a murder, however—

“Hey, dreamer. I asked if you saw your nan somewhere.”Nico stood in front of Gavin, poking him in the ribs.

“What? Sorry, yes, let’s see if we can find her.”

They found her at the cake tent, fussing over the display. Apparently _someone_ had put the plate with her pies in a far corner of the table, and she was now arguing about it with one of the women behind the table.  
Gavin’s nan was a small and thin woman, but nonetheless she was overflowing with energy. She was wearing a very colourful, fluttery dress and her white hair poked out from under what appeared to be a straw hat with a number of flowers, both real and artificial ones, attached to it.

She was not how Nico had imagined her, but at the same time there was something about her that reminded him very much of her grandson. Maybe it was the toothy smile or simply the way she held herself; whatever it was, he instantly decided that he liked her.

When they approached the tent she turned around and smiled warmly. “Gavin, my dear! It’s so nice to have you here! Did you get here safely? I know what you driving is like, just like… oh, but you have brought someone with you, I see?” She let Gavin give her a kiss on the cheek and looked at him expectingly.

Gavin had gone a bit pale and tugged at his shirt collar, a nervous tick of his. He took a quick breath and said: “Yes Nan, er, this is Nico- Nicholas, my…”

He really hadn’t wanted to hesitate. He had said the sentence so often to himself the night before and even on the drive here that he’d thought it’d be impossible for him to get it wrong; and still he was standing there, Nan looking at him, Nico’s smile beside him faltering a little more with every moment that passed. “…boyfriend” he finally mumbled, feeling his cheeks reddening, but also seeing Nico’s smile coming back as if he’d flicked a switch.

Nan’s eyes widened, and he could see that she was processing this new information. However it was only a second before she smiled even brighter than before and stretched her small hand out for Nico to shake. “How lovely to meet you, Nicholas! I am Margaret. I hope you’ll come by for tea later with Gavin.”

“Yes, ma’am- Margaret, that would be ni—“

“But I see that the judges are getting going, so I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you two for now. Till then, dears!”  
And she resolutely walked off into the direction of the main tent.

“Well!” Nico said.

“Well.” said Gavin, still a bit red in the face.

“That was something, wasn’t it?”

“Mhm.” Gavin nodded, chewing his lower lip.

“What? It went all right, didn’t it? She invited me for tea!”

“Oh, yes, it’s just… I thought she’d be a bit happier for me. After she kept nagging for years to bring someone with me, she just walks off.”

“I suppose she’s a bit excited about the competition.” Nico boxed Gavin’s shoulder and laughed. “Come on, stop worrying! She was nice, she seemed to like me; the sun is in the sky, there’s music and what seems to be a fine collection of cakes.”  
“And” he added, taking Gavin’s hand in one of his own and suddenly speaking in a terrible posh accent: “I’m here with the most handsome young chap of the county. What could be more tickety- splendidly-boo?”

Gavin just had to laugh at that. “All right, your ladyship. What do you want to do first?”

“Bring me to the flower arrangements, good man.” Nico now pretended to hold a parasol in one hand and the hem of a skirt in the other and pouted in a lady-like manner. “And then, some tea, James. Piping hot!”

After they had drunk their tea and looked at every flower (and dog) on display, it was time for the winners of the competitions to be announced. Gavin hoped that Nan would get the first prize for her garden. Never mind how much she liked Nico then— if she‘d win, she would be in such a good mood she would probably love him for the rest of her life. Margaret was rather superstitious; and maybe she would start to see his boyfriend as a lucky charm if she won today.

The first prize for the dogs went to an elderly man with a nasty little pit bull, who acted as if his dog had just won an Academy Award.The winner of the flower competition turned out to be the vicar’s wife, Mrs Frinley, who seemed moved to tears even though Gavin knew that she’d won every time in the last eight years, much to the chagrin of the other participants.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the garden competition!” A middle aged woman with a pink hat and an overly cheery voice had entered the stage and waved a small piece of paper. “The decision was not an easy one, but we have found a winner! The prize for the most beautiful garden in Midsomer Worthy goes to Mrs…” -a collective sigh was released by all the male gardeners in the tent - “Margaret Troy, whose garden was especially remarkable for her wonderful Arthur Bell roses and her beautiful hydrangea! Congratulations, Mrs Troy!” Everyone started clapping, and Gavin wished he’d brought a camera with him to capture Mr and Mrs Wandsworth’s sour faces.

After Nan had received her badge and a certificate from the judges, Gavin and Nico followed her to her house, a nice little cottage near the village green. Gavin had spent endless afternoons here as a boy, helping Nan in the kitchen or just watching the programmes on telly he wasn’t allowed to watch at home. The rooms were cramped and the furniture old-fashioned, but he loved it anyway. He had always been grateful for this place, a safe haven from school, his parents, and now work. Gavin felt like Nan’s cottage was the place where he had always let his soft side surface the most. He was glad that he’d brought Nico here, that their relationship was deep enough to share this special memories with him.

Nan insisted on making tea for them while they had a look at her (now) award-winning garden.  
“And show him the Constance Spry roses, dear! You queer young men like pink, don’t you?” she shouted from the kitchen. Nico blinked and then started snorting with laughter.  
“Psst, don’t! She means well” Gavin said, suppressing a giggle.  
“Yes, please, lead me to these roses, you know I can’t resist anything pink or glittery” Nico answered in a high-pitched voice. Sometimes it was really a curse to be in love with a stage actor.

The garden was beautiful though, and Nico actually loved the lush roses and the colourful flowerbeds. He started to recite some passage from a play Gavin had never heard about; but as always when he watched his boyfriend act, on a big stage or in his tiny kitchen just for him— the words became irrelevant and he just saw and admired, and his heart ached when he realised once more that this brilliant being was all his, to touch and to kiss and to protect.

“Boys, tea is ready!”

Nan had the tea set out on a small table on the lawn; and of course she had also brought some pies and Gavin’s favourite cake. Nico’s eyes lit up at sight. He loved homemade food, and since Gavin’s first-hand experience of Mrs Bentley’s cooking skills the sergeant knew why.

“Take some cake, love, that’s right. You look like you could need some.” Nan handed Nico a generous portion of lemon drizzle cake.

“Thank you, Margaret. And congratulations on your victory! Your garden really is magnificent.” Nico said in his most charming voice. Gavin rolled his eyes. “Yes, Nan, that should shut Mrs Wandsworth up for a while.”

“Oh, you bet!” Nan clapped her hands cheerfully. “But now tell me, Nicholas, what do you do?”

“I’m an actor” Nico mumbled around a forkful of cake.

“An actor! How wonderful, I love films! Could I have seen you in anything?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. I mostly do local productions.”

Gavin didn’t want Nan to think Nico was an amateur, so he took his hand and said: “He’s playing the lead in a production at the Causton Playhouse at the moment, Nan. He’s really good.”  
Nan smiled. “How nice. I should come and see you.” She turned to Gavin, still smiling. “And since when have you become a queer, Gavin dear?”

Gavin spluttered and choked on his tea. His grandmother had always preferred to call a spade a spade.  
“The term is gay now, Nan.”

“Oh really? Why do they keep changing them all the time? So, tell me. You never said you liked boys before?”

”Well… I suppose I always liked them. I just didn’t see it properly. But then I met Nico, and he was just right.”

Nico smiled into his tea cup.

They drank their tea, Nico ate two more pieces of cake and Nan told them all about the new doctor in the village. Gavin helped her to take the dishes back into the house, and in the kitchen she took his arm and gave him a stern look. “And this young man is good to you, Gavin?”  
All her cheeriness was suddenly replaced by a certain determination he knew all to well from his father. He was almost sure that if he told her that Nico was treating him badly in this moment, she would have stormed outside and tried to punch him, never mind that he was about twice her size.

“He is, Nan. He makes me very happy.”

“Then it is good. I’m so glad you’ve finally found someone, dear. And such a handsome boy as well!”  
“And you don’t mind that he’s a… you know. A man?” This was the crucial part of this conversation, the question he’d wanted to ask ever since Nan had seemingly brushed the topic off that morning.

“Oh Gavin. I always suspected you were a bit— different, you know? You were always so gentle, lost every fight you got into because you just couldn’t hurt someone.  
“And as long as he makes you happy and gets me free theatre tickets, I couldn’t be happier.”

Gavin was baffled. His Nan had suspected he was gay all this time and never said anything. And apparently she could not have cared less whether Nico was a man or a woman. He felt ten tons dropping off his shoulders. He gave her a kiss and laughed, feeling light-headed. “Thanks, Nan.”  
  
“Now off you go! I’m sure two young men have better things to do on a Saturday evening than sitting around in my garden. And I certainly have better things to do than keeping an eye on you. I think I’ll go round to Lucinda Wandsworth’s and tell her how sorry I am that her garden’s not fit to hold a candle to mine…”

********

Later, when they were cuddled up in Gavin’s bed, Nico put his chin on his boyfriend’s chest and smiled at him. “It went well today, don’t you think?”

Gavin touched his cheek and nodded. “Yes, I think so. Nan didn’t murder me and she only called you a queer twice. It could have gone so much worse.”

He started to kiss Nico softly, and thought about how nice it had been to watch two people who were both important in his life sitting at one table and talking with each other. How good it felt to finally link his other world with the world he’d created around his relationship with Nico. Suddenly Gavin knew that he wanted to tell Barnaby about it.

He spent almost every day with him and listened to his latest story about Mrs Barnaby, but he never told his boss about the restaurant he’d been to with Nico or talked about how proud he was that his boyfriend played the lead at the Playhouse. He didn’t want to tip-toe around topics when he was talking to his mum on the phone in fear of letting something slip.

And telling Nan had been so easy. Why was he making such a fuss about it?

“I’ll tell Barnaby next Monday.”

“Are you being serious?” Nico sat up and stared at him. “What if he makes trouble? Or someone else at the nick?”

“He’s a fair boss. He won’t mind. And then we’ll tell my parents and your colleagues, and the guys at the cricket club. I’m not ashamed.”

“Neither am I, honey. Especially not since you’re so handsome.” He grinned and kissed Gavin once more. “I love you.”

And for Gavin, that was enough for now.

***********************************


End file.
